Tupelo Approves New Ward Lines

TUPELO – The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved redrawn Tupelo ward lines.

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The city’s next step will be updating voters on how the changes may affect them.

The new lines reflect shifts in Tupelo’s population based on 2010 Census and the results of the 16-square mile annexation finalized in September.

The redistricting plan was designed to bring the divide the city’s population evenly between the seven wards, retain minority majorities in wards 4 and 7 and avoid moving sitting council members out of their ward. There were some shifts in ward boundary lines, but for the most part, each ward retains the core of its constituency.

The plan now goes to the U.S. Justice Department for its review under the federal Voting Rights Act.